Eco Friendly Spring Cleaning

Spring is here and that means many of us will clean our homes inside and out, from top to bottom. Instead of using harsh chemical cleaners, you can clean your home with eco friendly items you probably already have in your pantry. Cleaning your home should require a hazmat suit. You should be able to clean your home without having to fumigate to get rid of the noxious odors left by industrial cleaners. Instead use baking soda and vinegar for just about all of your spring cleaning needs.

Not only are baking soda and vinegar eco friendly and environmentally safe, they are also safe for children and pets and those who are sensitive to smells and chemicals. Baking soda and vinegar are also available everywhere and are inexpensive.

Eco Friendly Spring Cleaning

Vinegar – Vinegar is one of the most versatile and useful items in your pantry. It’s great for making pickles and salad dressings and works great on windows and coffee makers too. You can use either white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar to clean the house, apple cider vinegar smells a little better, but they both have about the same alkalinity and clean just as well.

1. Coffee Pot – Run a 1:1 mixture of vinegar and water through the coffee pot. Fill the carafe with vinegar and pour into the reserviour just like you were making coffee and turn the appliance on. Don’t throw out the hot vinegar. Instead use it to clean other items.
2. Windows – Using the warm vinegar from the coffee pot you can clean the windows. Fill a spray bottle with the vinegar and spray on windows like window cleaner. Rub off with a soft cloth.
3. Shower Curtain – Use the same 1:1 mixture to clean the shower curtain. You can spray it on the curtain and rinse off with water or run throught  the washing machine. The vinegar will clean the washing machine at the same time so win-win!
4. Iron – Fill your iron’s reservoir with vinegar and turn it on to steam. Let is sit upright in the on position for ten minutes and then follow with water.
5. Degrease the Kitchen – Use a 1:1 mixture of vinegar to water and use it to clean countertops, stove, oven, cabinets etc…

Baking Soda – Baking soda is another non toxic product you probably have in your home that does an excellent job of cleaning. Ditch expensive cleaners for a $.99 box of baking soda to clean the following items.

1. Carpets – Freshen carpets by sprinkling baking soda on carpet. Wait 15 minutes and vacuum like normal. Your carpets and rugs will smell fresh and clean.
2. Grill – Mix a paste of baking soda and water and use to scrub a grill that’s been sitting outside all winter long.
3. Remove Stains from Plastic – Plastic food containers have a way of getting stained and most dish soaps won’t remove them. Use baking soda to get the job done. Simply sprinkle baking soda on wet sponge and wipe clean.
4. Stinky Gym Shoes – You’ve probably got a rear foyer filled with stinky athletic shoes so go to town by sprinkling about a tablespoon of baking soda into each shoe. Wait 15 minutes (or longer if you prefer) and empty into the trash. Shoe odors will be nuetralized and smell fresh.
5. Clogged Drain – Use baking soda and vinegar to clean a clogged drain. Pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain followed by half a cup of vinegar. Cover with a wet cloth and wait five minutes before flushing with hot water.